PART I
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS
This Registration Statement on Form S-8 (this “Registration Statement”) is being filed by Worthington Industries, Inc. (“Registrant”) with respect to the Worthington Industries, Inc. 2010 Stock Option Plan (the “Plan”). The document(s) containing the information specified in Part I of Form S-8 will be sent or given to participants in the Plan as specified by Rule 428(b)(1) promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Such documents are not being filed with the Commission either as part of this Registration Statement or as prospectuses or prospectus supplements pursuant to Rule 424 promulgated by the Commission under the Securities Act. Such documents and the documents incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement, taken together, constitute a prospectus that meets the requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.
PART II
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.
The following documents and information heretofore filed by Registrant with the Commission are hereby incorporated by reference:
|
·
|
Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2010;
|
|
·
|
Registrant’s Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on June 22, 2010 and on October 5, 2010 (excluding Item 2.02 and Exhibit 99.1);
|
|
·
|
Registrant’s definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A, dated August 19, 2010, as amended by Registrant’s definitive supplemental proxy materials, dated August 19, 2010, related to Registrant’s Annual Meeting of Shareholders held on September 30, 2010; and
|
|
·
|
the description of Registrant’s common shares, without par value, contained in Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 (SEC Registration No. 333-165942) filed by Registrant with the Commission on April 8, 2010, together with any subsequent amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.
|
All documents which may be filed by Registrant with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), Section 13(c), Section 14 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), subsequent to the date of this Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered under the Worthington Industries, Inc. 2010 Stock Option Plan pursuant to this Registration Statement have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall also be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to be made a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents. To the extent that any information contained in any Current Report on Form 8-K, or any exhibit thereto, was or is furnished to, rather than filed with, the Commission, such information or exhibit is specifically not incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement.
Any statement contained in this Registration Statement or in a document, all or a portion of which is incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement, shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.
Item 4. Description of Securities.
Not Applicable.
Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.
The validity of the common shares offered by Registrant under the Worthington Industries, Inc. 2010 Stock Option Plan will be passed upon by Dale T. Brinkman, who is the Vice President-Administration, General Counsel and Secretary of Registrant and an employee eligible to participate in the Worthington Industries, Inc. 2010 Stock Option Plan. As of September 30, 2010, Mr. Brinkman beneficially owned 26,706 common shares of Registrant and held options to purchase 119,000 additional common shares at various exercise prices. Pursuant to Registrant’s Code of Regulations and an Indemnification Agreement entered into between Registrant and Mr. Brinkman on July 25, 2008, Registrant is required to indemnify Mr. Brinkman, to the greatest extent permitted by Ohio law, against specified expenses and liabilities that may arise in connection with a proceeding by reason of his status or service as an officer of Registrant, if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of Registrant and, with respect to any criminal proceeding, Mr. Brinkman had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful.
Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
Under Section 1701.13(E) of the Ohio Revised Code (the “OGCL”), directors, officers, employees and agents of Ohio corporations have an absolute right to indemnification for expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by them in connection with any action, suit or proceeding to the extent they are successful in defense of the action, suit or proceeding, including derivative actions, brought against them, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter asserted in any such action, suit or proceeding. A director, officer, employee or agent is entitled to such indemnification if such person’s success is “on the merits or otherwise”. Directors (but not officers, employees or agents) are entitled to mandatory payment of expenses by a corporation as they are incurred, in advance of the final disposition of the action, suit or proceeding, provided the directors agree to cooperate with the corporation concerning the matter and to repay the amount advanced if it is proved by clear and convincing evidence that the directors’ act or failure to act was done with deliberate intent to cause injury to the corporation or with reckless disregard for the corporation’s best interests.
Section 1701.13(E) of the OGCL permits a corporation to indemnify directors, officers, employees or agents of the corporation or individuals who are or were serving at the request of the corporation as a director, trustee, officer, employee, member, manager or agent of another corporation or entity in circumstances where indemnification is not mandated by the statute if certain statutory standards are satisfied. A corporation may grant indemnification in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, investigative or administrative, other than derivative actions, if the indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner the indemnitee reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe the indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful. Such indemnification is permitted against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) as well as judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the indemnitee in connection with the action, suit or proceeding. A corporation may also provide indemnification in derivative actions for expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred in connection with the defense or settlement of an action or suit if the officer, director, employee or agent acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the corporation. Ohio law does not expressly authorize indemnification against judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement of derivative actions. A corporation may not indemnify a director, officer, employee or agent in derivative actions for expenses (including attorneys’ fees) if such person is adjudged to be liable for negligence or misconduct in the performance of such person’s duties to the corporation unless, and only to the extent that, a court determines that, despite the adjudication of liability, but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity as the court deems proper. In addition, a corporation may not indemnify a director in any action or suit in which the only liability asserted against the director is for approving unlawful loans, dividends or distributions of assets under Section 1701.95 of the OGCL.
Section 1701.13(E) of the OGCL permits a corporation to pay expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by a director, officer, employee or agent as they are incurred, in advance of the final disposition of the action, suit or proceeding, as authorized by the corporation’s directors and upon receipt of an undertaking by such person to repay such amount if it is ultimately determined that such person is not entitled to indemnification.
Section 1701.13(E) of the OGCL states that the indemnification provided thereby is not exclusive of, and is in addition to, any other rights granted to persons seeking indemnification under the corporation’s articles or regulations, any agreement, a vote of the corporation’s shareholders or disinterested directors, or otherwise.
Section 1701.13(E) of the OGCL grants express power to a corporation to purchase and maintain insurance or furnish similar protection, including, but not limited to, trust funds, letters of credit and self-insurance, for director, officer, employee or agent liability, regardless of whether that individual is otherwise eligible for indemnification by the corporation.
The Code of Regulations of Registrant (the “Regulations”) provides for broader indemnification than specifically afforded under Section 1701.13(E) of the OGCL. The Regulations provide that Registrant must indemnify officers and directors against expenses (including attorneys’ fees, filing fees, court reporters’ fees and transcript costs), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred in connection with any pending, threatened or completed action, suit or proceeding (whether criminal, civil, administrative or investigative and whether a derivative action or not) by reason of the fact that any such individual is or was a director, officer, employee, agent or volunteer of Registrant or is or was serving at the request of Registrant as a director, trustee, officer, employee, member, manager, agent or volunteer of another corporation or other entity so long as such individual’s act or omission giving rise to the claim for indemnification was not occasioned by such individual’s intent to cause injury to, or by such individual’s reckless disregard for the best interests of, Registrant and, with respect to any criminal matter, such individual had no reasonable cause to believe such individual’s conduct was unlawful. The Regulations forbid Registrant from indemnifying an officer or director in a derivative action if such person is adjudged to be liable for an act or omission occasioned by such person’s deliberate intent to cause injury to, or by such person’s reckless disregard for the best interests of, Registrant unless and only to the extent the Court of Common Pleas in Franklin County, Ohio, or the court in which the action was brought, despite such adjudication of liability and in view of all the circumstances, concludes that such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to such indemnity as the court deems proper.
The Regulations recite a presumption (which may only be rebutted by clear and convincing evidence) that no act or omission by a person claiming indemnification was occasioned by an intent to cause injury to, or by a reckless disregard for the best interests of, Registrant, and with respect to any criminal matter, that such person had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, does not, by itself, rebut this presumption.
The Regulations state that, to the extent an officer or director is successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, such officer or director must be promptly indemnified by Registrant against expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees, filing fees, court reporters’ fees and transcript costs) actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection therewith.
The Regulations state that an indemnitee’s expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees, filing fees, court reporters’ fees and transcript costs) must be paid by the Registrant in advance of the final disposition of the action, suit or proceeding to or on behalf of the officer or director promptly as such expenses are incurred, but only if such officer or director first agrees, in writing, to repay all amounts so paid in respect of any claim, issue or other matter asserted in such action, suit or proceeding in defense of which such person shall have not been successful on the merits or otherwise, if it is proved by clear and convincing evidence in a court of competent jurisdiction that, in respect of any such claim, issue or other matter, such person’s relevant action or failure to act was occasioned by his or her deliberate intent to cause injury to Registrant or his or her reckless disregard for the best interests of Registrant, unless, and only to the extent that, the Court of Common Pleas of Franklin County, Ohio or the court in which such action or suit was brought determines that, despite such determination and in view of all of the circumstances, such officer or director is fairly and reasonably entitled to all or part of such indemnification.
The Regulations state that the indemnification provided thereby is not exclusive of, and is in addition to, any other rights to which any person seeking indemnification may be entitled under Registrant’s articles or regulations, any agreement, a vote of Registrant’s disinterested directors or otherwise. Additionally, the Regulations provide that Registrant may purchase and maintain insurance or furnish similar protection on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee, agent or volunteer of Registrant, or who is or was serving as a director, trustee, officer, employee, member, manager, agent or volunteer of another corporation or entity at the request of Registrant, against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in such capacity, or arising out of such person's status as such, whether or not Registrant would have the obligation or power to indemnify such person under the Regulations. The Regulations also authorize Registrant to purchase and maintain trust funds, letters of credit or self-insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee, agent or volunteer of Registrant or who is serving or has served another entity at the request of Registrant.
Registrant has entered into indemnification agreements with each of its directors and executive officers. The indemnification agreements generally obligate Registrant to hold harmless and indemnify such directors and executive officers against specified expenses and liabilities they may incur in the performance of their duties to the greatest extent permitted by Ohio law, provided that (1) such directors and executive officers acted in good faith and in a manner they reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of Registrant and, with respect to any criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe their conduct was unlawful and (2) with respect to proceedings by or in the right of Registrant (a) such executive officers were not adjudged to be liable to Registrant for negligence or misconduct in the performance of their duties to Registrant or (b) such directors were not adjudged to be liable to Registrant for (i) an act or omission undertaken with deliberate intent to cause injury to Registrant or with reckless disregard for the best interests of Registrant or (ii) approving unlawful loans, dividends or distributions of assets under Section 1701.95 of the OGCL. The indemnification agreements also require Registrant to advance expenses to a director or executive officer prior to the final disposition of a proceeding if specified conditions are satisfied. The indemnification agreements provide procedures for determining a director’s or executive officer’s entitlement to indemnification and specify certain remedies relating to indemnification and advancement of expenses. The indemnification agreements do not exclude any other rights to indemnification or advancement of expenses to which a director or executive officer may be entitled under Registrant’s Amended Articles of Incorporation or Regulations, applicable law (including the OGCL), any insurance policy, any contract or otherwise.
Registrant maintains, and in the future may continue to maintain, insurance to insure its present or former directors, officers and employees against liabilities and expenses arising out of any claim or breach of duty, error, misstatement, misleading statement, omission or other act done by reason of their being such directors, officers or employees of Registrant.
Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.
Not applicable.
Item 8. Exhibits.
(a) Exhibits. The following exhibits are filed herewith or incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof:
|
Exhibit No.
|
|
Description
|
|
|
|
|
|
4.1
|
|
Amended Articles of Incorporation of Registrant, as filed with the Ohio Secretary of State on October 13, 1998 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3(a) to Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended August 31, 1998 (SEC File No. 0-4016))
|
|
|
|
|
|
4.2
|
|
Code of Regulations of Registrant (reflecting all amendments) (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3(b) to Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended August 31, 2000 (SEC File No. 001-08399))
|
|
|
|
|
|
5.1
|
|
Opinion of Dale T. Brinkman, General Counsel of Registrant, as to the validity of the securities being registered (filed herewith)
|
|
|
|
|
|
10.1
|
|
Worthington Industries, Inc. 2010 Stock Option Plan (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on October 5, 2010 (SEC File No. 001-08399))
|
|
|
|
|
|
23.1
|
|
Consent of KPMG LLP with respect to the consolidated financial statements of Worthington Industries, Inc. (filed herewith)
|
|
|
|
|
|
23.2
|
|
Consent of KPMG LLP with respect to consolidated financial statements of Worthington Armstrong Venture (filed herewith)
|
|
|
|
|
|
23.3
|
|
Consent of Dale T. Brinkman, Esq. (included in Exhibit 5.1)
|
|
|
|
|
|
24.1
|
|
Powers of Attorney of Certain Directors and Executive Officers of Worthington Industries, Inc. (filed herewith)
|